• Jad 

BOU ROUFAEL
• Njoki MWISYWA
Indian
• Alexandra SKASSI
Weavers • Ramya PENMATSA
 • Farmers in the Indus valley were the first to spin
and weave cotton. In 1929, archaeologists
recovered fragments of cotton textiles at
Mohenjo-Daro, in what is now Pakistan, dating
History of to between 3250 and 2750 BCE, tracing the
history of weavers in India.
Indian
• India has a long tradition of excellence in
Weaving making high quality handloom products with
extraordinary skills and craftsmanship, which
are unparalleled in the world.
 • Lack of access to market for Indian woven
products produced by local weavers
Problem • Weavers are vendors for
saree/carpet sellers who drive hard
Definition bargains to reduce the cost of the
garments to increase their profits which
affects their margins
 • Low income
WHO?
• Highly skilled
(Their
• Low formal education levels
characteristics)
 • Poverty
• Low Income
WHAT? • Competition from global markets 
(What are they • Modernization
experiencing?) • Low bargaining power
• Outdated tools & technologies 
 WHERE?
(Specific Locations)
Indian Villages
 • Lack of enough funds to buy their inputs e.g. cotton
• Lack of capital resources affecting ease in access to
financing from institutions
• Lack of adequate business acumen (strategy,
marketing, advertising, finance management etc.)
WHY? and education exposes them to people with power
and money
(Reasons • Lack of adequate infrastructure e.g. roads,
transportation, etc.
for the current • Extreme weather conditions I.e. too much sun or
situation)  rain 
• Unfair trade mainly due to the contractors
• Decreased demand of previous products e.g.
Panchelu
• Poor living standards
 WITH
• National and local governments- improve by
WHOM? creating local market days to expose to new

(Factors that
markets, reduction of poverty levels, reduce
infrastructural barriers) 

may affect • Middlemen who affect their sales due to bargaining

power
how they • Trading policies that don't favor the weavers 

perceive the • Weather patterns can affect transportation because

of impassable roads
problem) • Lack of access to market 
For the next class session, each group will collect interviews to validate
their problems and use that data to fill in the Value Propositions (VP)
and Customer Segments (CS) parts of the Business Model Canvas. 
Each group will present their interview strategy and the related main
findings/takeaways along with the VP and CS.
  The practice of weaving using handlooms remains an
integral part of Indian culture and should be protected
 Highly skilled Handloom weavers are facing severe
RECAP livelihood crisis because of lack of governmental
support, globalization and changing socio-economic
conditions. 
 Located in rural India with limited access to the market
 Weavers have: 
 Low bargaining power
 Difficulty sustaining their business
 Lack of business acumen
 We took various approaches to data collection and
used both primary and secondary methods:
 Interview: Used a representative in India to
conduct a group interview (focus group) and a
phone interview with Indian weavers to obtain
first-hand information 
 We had a group of 12 weavers take us
DATA through the process and the pressure points
at each stage of the process
COLLECTIO  Questionnaires: We sent questionnaires to
N STRATEGY Indians who are the main target market of the
weavers to get their perception on quality of local
Indian sarees
 Desktop research: To deep dive and understand
the opinion of what is in the media and what
opinion shapers in the industry think of the
problem and present solutions
 • Raw materials are bought from different parts of
India and other design elements are provided by the
owner e.g. design catalogue 
• It takes a normal saree about 1.5 days to make and
about 3-4 days for a heavy saree
• The weavers work about 12-14 hours a day. They
earn 800 rupees for a normal saree and 1000-1200
rupees for the heavier sarees while a contractor sells
MAIN the same saree for 3000-4000 rupees

FINDINGS • The contractors are part of a union where they can

deliberate on pricing, but the weavers are not part
of a union. The weavers do not have support which
leaves them at the mercies of the contractor
• There is a major issue with access to funds,
improvement of skills, long working hours,
outdated tools and mostly over reliance on
middlemen to access the market.
 Explain the process of
weaving? Activities?
[partners? How long does it What are the key inputs and
take to finish 1 product? outputs?
Which part of the process is
the most expensive? 

Questions to Who are your main buyers

and sellers? How do you
What challenges do you

Weavers
experience in weaving?
reach them?

Do you think there is need to

What are your final support the local weaving
products? Which products industry? What suggestions
are most popular?  do you think can help
revamp the industry?
Questions to ask potential and current buyers
Is there an ease in
Do you own products
Are the products from accessing products
from local weavers?
local weavers of better from local weavers? If
YES? NO? Explain your
quality or not? Explain yes, where do you get
answer
these products?

Do you think there is What suggestions do

need to support the you think can help
local weaving industry? revamp the industry?
 Due to Covid:
• There have been no orders from the
contractors
Current • Weavers are taking advances to meet
Situation their basic needs and need to pay back
with high interest
• Business coaches  • Sales and Marketing  Help the weavers gain direct access to Frequent communication with customer segments:  Indian Weavers
• I.T contractors • Account Management on the the market through the creation • Weavers: Frequent reporting on market trends and demands, give Gain direct access to the marke
• UNION for weavers website of a web and mobile based platform. feedback received on the quality. Constant update on available and promote their talent and know
• Customers • Training and Development The sole purpose of this platform is trainings. how
to empower weavers on different
• Local weaving • Business Coaching underlying problems.  • Saree wearers: Direct emails giving updates on sales offers and local
related NGOS and • Workshops and market exhibitions.  Saree Wearers
welfare association seminars etc. This will be done through: Find access to good quality
s e.g. Nivedita Rai • Microfinance Operations • Upskilling(training, workshops What support does the company provide customized sarees at affordable
of Women etc.)  • Weavers: To direct access the market without needing the middleman rates
Weave Org Key Resources who charges exorbitant prices. Our platform is not profit based but
• Partner with • Set up a foundation or union aimed at creating a connection for the business  Tourists 
suppliers in • Customer care team • Saree wearers: Direct access to the weavers which could lead to Their interest in the culture, thus
• Storage facilities  • Microfinance - Provide financial
Bangalore and support by creating lending customized sarees and cheaper sarees in comparison to costs offered not having access to the villages
Mumbai to get our • I.T Tech team  and saving services.  by the contractors where the weavers are located
raw materials  • System developers
• Payment from buyers • Create a marketing and advertising
• Photographers to take images strategy for their products
of the products  This platform supports multistep
strategy focusing on multiple aspects
of weavers and their potential growth.
The factors mentioned above help
in reducing the over-reliance on
contractor. 

Channels  
Saree wearers:
They will get quick delivery of quality sarees, allow for customization
as appropriate.
Delivery options/Communication Channels (Saree buyers):
• Physical Stores (direct purchase)
• Pick up through personal network (family, friends, colleagues)
• Platform (Will we do a partnership with the post?)
• Email – direct mail list
• Website 
• Call – SMS
Indian Weavers: 
• Weavers will be connected to the platform through the web or
mobile application
• In case of training or workshops, in collaboration with NGO's, local
events will be organised
 •Help the weavers gain direct access to the market
through the creation of a web and mobile based
platform. The sole purpose of this platform is to
empower weavers on different underlying problems. 
•This will be done through:
• Upskilling(training, workshops etc.) 
• Set up a foundation or union
Value • Microfinance - Provide financial support by
creating lending and saving services. 
Proposition • Create a marketing and advertising strategy for
their products

•This platform supports multistep strategy focusing

on multiple aspects of weavers and their potential
growth. The factors mentioned above help in
reducing the over-reliance on contractor. 
 Indian Weavers:
•Gain direct access to the market and
promote their talent and know how

Saree Wearers:
Customer •Find access to good quality customized
sarees at affordable rates
Segments
Tourists:
•Their interest in the culture, thus not
having access to the villages where the
weavers are located
 Saree wearers:
•They will get quick delivery of quality sarees, allow for
customization as appropriate.

•Delivery options/Communication Channels (Saree buyers):

• Physical Stores (direct purchase)
• Pick up through personal network (family, friends,
colleagues)

Channels  • Platform (Will we do a partnership with the post?)

• Email – direct mail list
• Website 
• Call – SMS

Indian Weavers: 
• Weavers will be connected to the platform through the
web or mobile application
• In case of training or workshops, in collaboration with
NGO's, local events will be organised
 Frequent communication with customer segments: 
• Weavers: Frequent reporting on market trends
and demands, give feedback received on the
quality. Constant update on available trainings.
• Saree wearers: Direct emails giving updates on
sales offers and local market exhibitions. 

Customer What support does the company provide

Relationships • Weavers: To direct access the market without
needing the middleman who charges exorbitant
prices. Our platform is not profit based but aimed
at creating a connection for the business 
• Saree wearers: Direct access to the weavers which
could lead to customized sarees and cheaper
sarees in comparison to costs offered by the
contractors
 •Value proposition 1: Create a platform named "Kala"

How will it generate money? Name all sources

•For funding on the website, we will look for an NGO to
donate to our cause 

For maintenance, we will work with the weavers in the

Revenue following ways:
• Year 1: Have free registration and subscriptions
Streams • Subsequent years: Pay a subscription fee
In addition, we will also charge the weavers a 3% charge on
every product sold to help with maintenance of the website
(patch fixing etc) and payment of our employees.

How will customers pay?

• Credit/debit cards
• Cash on Delivery
 • Customer care team
• Storage facilities 
• I.T Tech team 
Key Resources • System developers
• Payment from buyers
• Photographers to take images of the
products 
 • Business coaches 
• I.T contractors
• UNION for weavers
• Customers
Key Partners • Local weaving related NGOS and welfare
associations e.g. Nivedita Rai of Women
Weave Org
• Partner with suppliers in Bangalore and
Mumbai to get our raw materials 
 • Sales and Marketing 
• Account Management on the website
• Training and Development
Key Activities • Business Coaching
• Workshops and seminars etc.
• Microfinance Operations
 Fixed Costs:
• Monthly website hosting fees

Cost Structure Variable costs:

• Calling potential and active partners
• Time spent on the NGO
• Training costs
• Contractual staff e.g. customer care, I.T
techies